The Celtics defeated the Pacers 120-95 on Friday, claiming a big win in their return to TD Garden after a six-game road trip.
Here are the takeaways.
1. When Jayson Tatum attacks the rim consistently, the Celtics’ offense looks like a significantly more dangerous group. Tatum — who has been icy cold from 3-point range since the All-Star break, shooting just 29.4 percent — still shot just 3-for-9 from behind the arc, but he was 10-for-13 in the restricted area. The Pacers have some solid rim protectors, but the Celtics were able to pull them away from the basket, and Tatum’s snaking in-and-out drives to the rim might be his most dangerous weapon offensively.